Bloom Light

Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Definition - What does Bloom Light mean?

When growing plants under artificial light, many growers change their PAR lighting spectrum when their plants enter the flowering (bloom) stage, going from a bluer spectrum to a redder spectrum. Therefore, bloom light, as opposed to veg light, refers to the type of lighting spectrum given to plants in the flowering (blooming) stage.

During fruiting and flowering, plants prefer light richer in the red end of the spectrum as well as longer periods of darkness. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, including HID lighting and LED lighting. To avoid having to use different fixtures, some grower prefer LED lights that allow them to dial in their spectrum.

In the flowering stage, the lighting cycle changes from 18/6 to 12/12. This means that bloom lights run for 12 hours a day, and are turned off for 12 hours a day.

Bloom light is also commonly used as another name for a grow light. Grow lights, whether they are for vegetative stages or blooming stages, coming in a wide range of
styles, types, brightness levels and more.

MaximumYield explains Bloom Light

While indoor gardening allows you to grow plants in areas where it would otherwise be impossible, there are many obstacles that need to be overcome. One of the most important is finding a reliable substitute for natural sunlight. A bloom light rich in red PAR lighting is used to supply artificial light that helps plants develop healthy and strong flowers at the onset of the flowering stage.

There are many different types of bloom light models on the market, each designed for different plant requirements, stages of growth, indoor growing areas, and other considerations. Choosing the right option can be challenging. You’ll need to base your decision on number of important factors, including the following:

Duration: How long will the light need to remain on? This depends on the type of plant, and the stage of growth, and will affect heat levels, energy consumption and more.

Light Intensity: How bright does the light need to be? Again, this will depend on the stage of growth, as well as the type of plant, and whether you are attempting to force budding or not.

Light Color: Some plants do better with specific colors in the light spectrum, and you can choose bloom lights that mimic the area of the spectrum your plants need most.

You’ll also need to consider other factors, including where and how the light will be mounted. How close to the seedlings/plants does the light need to be? How will you move it up or down when necessary? These are just a few of the considerations you’ll need to make when choosing both a vegetative light and a bloom light.